Thread: Driver's door key not locking or unlocking the door

Hard for a non 'leccy' (like me) to help, but looking at the electrical diagram I'd suggest to look into these things:

Fuse F4 on satellite fuse box(interior fuses) F4 is a 15a fuse. Most likely not this as it controls the entire anti theft system(but check anyway)

Could be the actual central locking (servo) unit on the drivers door. The drivers door isn't the simple two wire 'slave' actuator, it's the multi wire(I think 5 or 4 wire) that has the switch to control the other actuators.
IIRC, it's not hard to remove it. They are expensive tho if it is acting up, and you need a new one. It has THE switch that activates the other locks.
Alternatively the system runs via an Orange and Pink wire, so when you use the drivers door lock, the electrical signal for the other actuators is sent through those wires. So check orange and pink wires for 'connectivity'(either getting power from the drivers lock/getting power to the theft system, continuity to the other locks.
There could be a break at the master lock, or at the door hinge or via the kick panel to 'around the interior'

I found out the hard way that the Orange and Pink wires can be confusing in how they get voltage. That is, depending on if you lock or unlock the voltage is reversed through them.

One kind of easy-ish trick you could do with those Orange and Pink wires would be to somehow put voltage through them at a connection point. This will confirm if they are active and not broken. If you inject voltage through them the doors(other than the drivers) will either lock or unlock depending on the polarity of the power you inject them with. Can't remember but if you hook positive to orange and neg to pink, it will either lock or unlock, and vice-versa ...

I remember finding a connector for the orange and pink near the drivers door/footwell area. Was years ago and can't remember exactly. But what I did was to fit a remote lock/unlock system, as mine has no anti-theft or had no remote .. just key operated central locking. I wanted remote. I bought a cheapo remote kit and only used the remote box. Absolutely did my head in trying to figure out the wiring up part getting it to lock and unlock. I could only get it to lock(no matter how I wired it up).
Sorry a bit off topic, but I finally worked out that because of the incompatible wiring of the Disco relative to the aftermarket kit I installed, to get it cooperate, all I had to do was disconnect the orange and pink wires(near the drivers footwell/door area).
This is why I remember that there are these orange and pink wires with spade connectors somewhere in that area .. mine are now disconnected. I had a small 12v battery(motorbike) and a couple of wires and flipped the polarity each way to see what they did.

hope that helps

Originally Posted by AK83

Hard for a non 'leccy' (like me) to help, but looking at the electrical diagram I'd suggest to look into these things:

Fuse F4 on satellite fuse box(interior fuses) F4 is a 15a fuse. Most likely not this as it controls the entire anti theft system(but check anyway)

Could be the actual central locking (servo) unit on the drivers door. The drivers door isn't the simple two wire 'slave' actuator, it's the multi wire(I think 5 or 4 wire) that has the switch to control the other actuators.
IIRC, it's not hard to remove it. They are expensive tho if it is acting up, and you need a new one. It has THE switch that activates the other locks.
Alternatively the system runs via an Orange and Pink wire, so when you use the drivers door lock, the electrical signal for the other actuators is sent through those wires. So check orange and pink wires for 'connectivity'(either getting power from the drivers lock/getting power to the theft system, continuity to the other locks.
There could be a break at the master lock, or at the door hinge or via the kick panel to 'around the interior'

I found out the hard way that the Orange and Pink wires can be confusing in how they get voltage. That is, depending on if you lock or unlock the voltage is reversed through them.

One kind of easy-ish trick you could do with those Orange and Pink wires would be to somehow put voltage through them at a connection point. This will confirm if they are active and not broken. If you inject voltage through them the doors(other than the drivers) will either lock or unlock depending on the polarity of the power you inject them with. Can't remember but if you hook positive to orange and neg to pink, it will either lock or unlock, and vice-versa ...

I remember finding a connector for the orange and pink near the drivers door/footwell area. Was years ago and can't remember exactly. But what I did was to fit a remote lock/unlock system, as mine has no anti-theft or had no remote .. just key operated central locking. I wanted remote. I bought a cheapo remote kit and only used the remote box. Absolutely did my head in trying to figure out the wiring up part getting it to lock and unlock. I could only get it to lock(no matter how I wired it up).
Sorry a bit off topic, but I finally worked out that because of the incompatible wiring of the Disco relative to the aftermarket kit I installed, to get it cooperate, all I had to do was disconnect the orange and pink wires(near the drivers footwell/door area).
This is why I remember that there are these orange and pink wires with spade connectors somewhere in that area .. mine are now disconnected. I had a small 12v battery(motorbike) and a couple of wires and flipped the polarity each way to see what they did.

hope that helps

If I am inside the Disco and push down on the door lock/unlock knob, the central locking works and the immobiliser is activated. Likewise when I pull the knob up, central locking unlocks all the doors except for the driver's door, which then leaves the car immobilised becuase it hasn't registered as the the door is unlocked.
When using the key from outside in the door, there is no resistance from the key to either lock or unlock, like there is nothing there.
I will look at the wiring as you have suggested tomorrow and report if this worked or not.

Thanks

Ah, sorry I kind'a misunderstood a bit. Got distracted, came back and then rambled a lot about stuff that doesn't affect your situation!
It won't be the orange and pink wires because the locks working when you pull the lock tab.

I'd say your lock is the issue.
not locking(no resistance) from the key = door lock problems.

The central locking gets its signal from the drivers door central lock actuator.
So if you pull/push the drivers tab and it locks unlocks, then the wiring is good.
Sounds like that when you lock/unlock the drivers door the plunger is not working?
if so, then the rods/or actual lock is borked.

IIRC, there is a spring/kit in the door locks that can break or weaken and locks play up or don't work or get stuck or something.
There are some threads on the weak/broken spring issues that can affect the D1s door locks, do a search on here.
Also(IIRC) to remove the front door locks, you have to pull the door apart, that is window frame too .. so it's a big-ish job. Not hard, just time consuming.

Check the actual door lock cam as previously mentioned. this activates a switch and is fairly common for these plastic cams to break.
attached pics. is the inner one broken?, is it turning with the key? also if the outer one breaks it can jam the key turn.
Let me know if this is the problem, I have a lot of spare ones.
NB. Arthur, lock is easily removed without taking door window frame out etc. I've done a few.

door cam.jpg

Originally Posted by Ronski

Check the actual door lock cam as previously mentioned. this activates a switch and is fairly common for these plastic cams to break.
attached pics. is the inner one broken?, is it turning with the key? also if the outer one breaks it can jam the key turn.
Let me know if this is the problem, I have a lot of spare ones.
NB. Arthur, lock is easily removed without taking door window frame out etc. I've done a few.

door cam.jpg

Probably a good idea to replace those pesky springs while you are at it.

Door Latch Spring, Discovery 1 and Range Rover Classic, Right Hand ��� MTC7592-SPR

Originally Posted by Ronski

...
NB. Arthur, lock is easily removed without taking door window frame out etc. I've done a few. ...

You could be right.
I've had to do a few doors over the past few years, and I may have confused myself.

I thought I had the issue with my front pass door(on the D1), where I removed the lock to lube it, trying to free it. I've got an issue where the central locking is half working(unlock but not lock) and I thought this was the door where I had to pull it apart to get the lock out.
I may be confusing it with the D2 doors maybe.

Originally Posted by AK83

You could be right.
I've had to do a few doors over the past few years, and I may have confused myself.

I removed the drivers lock from my donor Disco for a friend around Xmas time, replaced plastic cams and he rebuilt it.
Replaced the donor one with his old lock, just so I could keep door shut/working, and stop critters getting in as it's stored up in Bullsbrook.
About a half hour job to remove.
cheers,
Ron.

Maybe this vid from Geoff will help.